On immigration, most Americans favor the velvet glove—and the iron fist.

The Obama administration and congressional Democrats have spent much of this spring criticizing Hill Republicans for what they say is the GOP’s opposition to legislative initiatives including the Violence Against Women Act, student-loan subsidies, and the Paycheck Fairness Act. A new United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll shows that Democrats enjoy popular support for these efforts, particularly from female and younger Americans, among whom the party seeks to enrich its electoral advantages heading into November.

As the presidential and congressional election season rolls on, the political landscape seems somewhat more favorable for Democrats than for Republicans, but neither party has been able to overcome the deep distrust that Americans seem to have for Congress, and neither side can afford to be anything less than nervous come Election Day.

Americans are fed up with Congress and a federal government perpetually frozen in conflict, but voters remain sharply split over how to ease the gridlock in the nation’s capital, according to a new United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll.

Most Americans think it is very important for Congress to address the nation’s job situation and reduce the federal budget deficit over the next year, but they remain pessimistic that President Obama and the legislative branch will agree on those issues, according to a new United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll that also reveals a pervading and continuing distrust of Washington since last summer’s debt-ceiling debacle.

More than two years into his tenure as House speaker, John Boehner faces a public that is uncertain about who he is but has strong feelings—positive and negative—toward his policy initiatives, according to the latest findings of the United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll.

Americans remain overwhelmingly against requiring individuals to purchase health insurance, but they divide in half about the health care law that President Obama signed in 2010, according to the latest United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll.

Americans haven’t reached a consensus on what is causing the recent spike in energy prices or what to do about it, according to the latest edition of the United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll.

More Americans trust President Obama than congressional Republicans to make the right decisions to bring down the price of gasoline, according to a new poll, although neither side commands a majority.

A majority of Americans think the federal government should not have helped out U.S. automakers that were in financial trouble, but rather should have allowed them to go it alone, according to a new United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll.